I’ve lived in Northwest Montana for 20 years as of February 4!

In those first years there were always 2 plus weeks of super cold: -teens/-20’s overnight and not above 0F daytime.

In the last years (how many ???) this has not happened. I think the first year I was in my current house – 2006 – was the last good Winter.

The super cold – I worry about the wild things and livestock and people who don’t take care of their pets… BUT, this super cold, I think it is ultimately a good thing and a NORMAL thing for this part of Montana.

And, I am a bit thrilled that it is a bit like old times. (NOT enough snow, though!!!)

On the home front…there is a kitten…there is a kitten who can see the sunshine and that kitten thinks he should be able to go out and play and hunt and run with the beardog!

Mama says otherwise.

The day started at -7F and never made it past 5F.

The kitten’s lungs and paws are not made for that much cold.

So.

We played “birdie”

The birdie toy is the MOST favorite toy. (those black things are my knees…I’m on the floor…)

Auggie often drops a birdie (we have 4) at my feet. Game on!

Yes, he retrieves…except for when I set up the camera for video, then he does not…

Bear and I had our normal walks except that I moved with a bit more briskness and a few more “NOW, Bear’s”.

But, I breathed deeply and enjoyed the cold, clean air!

And for lunch, after the lunch walk in the cold, clean air…I had a wonderfully warming roast cauliflower-onion-garlic soup…with plenty of turmeric and cayenne! And a refreshing water with blood orange juice. THAT should ward off any cold-flu bugs as well as most people!

Back to Auggie.

We got out every toy and a few other items: the laundry basket.

Auggie likes to put the birdies, the crackly fish toy and the mousie…places where he has to figure out how to get them back.

The laundry basket worked for a bit of a puzzle.

He played with putting things in and reaching in to try to retrieve them, going in after them and generally just playing in and around the basket and the crackly tunnel.

I don’t know what to do tomorrow, though!!!

The sun was brilliant all day long even if it did only get to 5F.

From inside…

Because it is COLD!

But beautiful and just like old times.